The present invention relates to inflatable protective cushions, and provides a cushion construction particularly useful in the frontal or side protection of occupants in a transportation vehicle, such as an automotive vehicle, railroad, car, airplane or the like. The invention is also directed to a module and/or overall vehicle restraint system including the inventive airbag cushion. A process or method for forming the cushion according to the present invention is also provided.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,390, inflatable protective cushions used in passenger vehicles are a component of relatively complex passive restraint systems. The main elements of these systems are: an impact sensing system, an ignition system, a propellant material, an attachment device, a system enclosure, and an inflatable protective cushion. Upon sensing an impact, the propellant is ignited causing an explosive release of gases filling the cushion to a deployed state which can absorb the impact of the forward movement of a body and dissipate its energy by means of rapid venting of the gas. The entire sequence of events occurs within about 30 milliseconds. In the un-deployed state, the cushion is stored in or near the steering column, the dashboard, in a door, or in the back of a front seat placing the cushion in close proximity to the person or object it is to protect.
Inflatable cushion systems commonly referred to as air bag systems have been used in the past to protect both the operator of the vehicle and passengers. Systems for the protection of the vehicle operator have typically been mounted in the steering column of the vehicle and have utilized cushion constructions directly deployable towards the driver. These driver-side cushions are typically of a relatively simple configuration in that they function over a fairly small well-defined area between the driver and the steering column. One such configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,755 to Nelsen et al., issued Jul. 9, 1996, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Inflatable cushions for use in the protection of passengers against frontal or side impacts must generally have a more complex configuration since the position of a vehicle passenger may not be well defined and greater distance may exist between the passenger and the surface of the vehicle against which that passenger might be thrown in the event of a collision. Prior cushions for use in such environments are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,414 to Bishop, issued May 28, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,594 to Krickl issued Oct. 3, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,273 to Hawthorn et al. issued Jun. 13, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,337 to Yamaji et al. issued May 31, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,216 to Wehner et al. issued May 10, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,729 to Watanabe issued Feb. 25, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,071 to Wallner et al. issued Feb. 11, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,529 to Backhaus issued Jul. 31, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,873 to Buchner et al. issued Feb. 19, 1974, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The majority of commercially used restraint cushions are formed of woven fabric materials utilizing multifilament synthetic yarns of materials such as polyester, nylon 6 or nylon 6,6 polymers. Representative fabrics for such use are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,735 to Bloch issued May 1, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,163 to Krummheuer et al. issued Mar. 3, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,666 to Menzel et al. issued May 5, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,775 to Swoboda et al. issued Aug. 17, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,230 to Sollars, Jr. issued Jan. 11, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,680 to Krummheuer et al. issued Oct. 18, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,890 to Krummheuer et al. issued Dec. 26, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,073 to Krummheuer et al. issued Apr. 16, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,197 to Bower et al. issued Apr. 2, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,402 to Bowen et al. issued Jan. 6, 1998, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As will be appreciated, the permeability of the cushion structure is an important factor in determining the rate of inflation and subsequent rapid deflation following the impact event. In order to control the overall permeability of the cushion, it may be desirable to use differing materials in different regions of the cushion. Thus, the use of several fabric panels in construction of the cushion may prove to be a useful design feature. The use of multiple fabric panels in the cushion structure also permits the development of relatively complex three dimensional geometries which may be of benefit in the formation of cushions for passenger side applications wherein a full bodied cushion is desired. While the use of multiple fabric panels provides several advantages in terms of permeability manipulation and geometric design, the use of multiple fabric panels for use in passenger side restraint cushions has historically required the assembly of panels having multiple different geometries involving multiple curved seams.
As will be appreciated, an important consideration in cutting panel structures from a base material is the ability to maximize the number of panels which can be cut from a fixed area through close-packed nesting of the panels. It has been found that minimizing the number of different geometries making up panels in the cushion and using geometries with substantially straight line perimeter configurations generally permits an enhanced number of panels to be cut from the base material. The use of panels having generally straight line profiles has the added benefit of permitting the panels to be attached to one another using substantially straight seams or be substantially formed during the weaving process using a jacquard or dobby loom.
The present invention provides a passenger side airbag configuration which may be constructed from two body panel sections and one center panel section. Each section may be made up of more than one panel or piece. The body panel sections are connected to one another and to the center panel by a series of substantially flat, straight seams. Thus, the airbag configuration formed according to the present invention results in highly efficient utilization of materials and may be constructed substantially without the need for complex curved seaming operations. As such, the present invention constitutes a useful advancement over the present art.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a highly effective easily manufactured inflatable occupant restraining cushion.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an inflatable occupant restraining cushion manufactured from two body panel sections and a center panel or section. Each panel section may be made up of more than one panel or piece.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inflatable occupant restraining cushion manufactured from panel sections and/or panels connected to one another by a series of substantially straight, flat seams.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inflatable occupant restraining cushion manufactured from the fabric panel sections woven and connected together on a jacquard or dobby weaving machine such that a substantially complete cushion is formed on the weaving machine.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide an inflatable occupant restraining cushion formed from panel sections having two basic geometries which can be nested in close spaced relation across a sheet of material thereby promoting good material utilization in a cut and sew operation.
A further object of the invention is to provide an inflatable occupant restraining cushion which employees a body panel section so designed to provide an air bag portion formed with straight seams which inhibits extreme expansion of the restraining cushion upon release of gas therein due to detonation of the inflator upon impact caused by a collision of the automobile or truck in which it is mounted.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an easily manufactured inflatable occupant restraining cushion formed from material panels which exhibit differing air permeability characteristics so as to optimize the overall air permeability characteristics of the cushion.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide an easily manufactured inflatable occupant restraining cushion formed from a combination of coated and uncoated material panels.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making a low cost inflatable protective cushion of simple and structurally efficient design.
To achieve these and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides an airbag cushion for use in a vehicle restraint system, which in the most preferred embodiment includes two body panel sections of substantially similar geometry joined to one another by two substantially straight seams along corresponding lateral boundary edges. The boundary segments of the body panels which are not joined to one another are joined around the perimeter of a quadrilateral center panel by a series of substantially straight seams thereby forming an inflatable cushion structure.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of preferred embodiments are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not to be viewed as in any way restricting the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.